Page 141 of The Quiet Witness

A phone rang. Trey’s. Both men spooked in place at the ringing of his phone splitting the silence. Grinning sheepishly at each other, his guest fished in the pockets of his tailored trousers.

He flipped open the phone, answering it with a curt, “Yes, sir?”

Lucien strained his ears, but even his sensitive ears couldn’t pick up distinct words from the other end, however, that voice could only belong to one person. And the slight widening of Trey’s eyes with the whites showing told him enough.

Another “Hmmm yes, and yes, sirs.” filled the silence before he hung up. A long exhale followed before Trey braced his hands on the chair, gathering his thoughts before spilling them. “Our employer has summoned us both to a meeting.”

Lucien nodded. He’d figured as much. Panic wouldn’t help him now. It never did, for anyone. So he stood up and stretched his legs with a sigh before making his way to the door. Trey stopped him. “Lucien, we can still end it before we visit. We have the time, I can do it for you. Allow me to, please.”

Lucien set his legs back in motion, already grabbing for his jacket. “Tonight, Trey, I will handle her tonight.”

Chapter 60

A Meeting Between Killers

“Welcome back, Lucien. It has been a while.”

That voice was owned by the very person who had been on the other end of the phone, whose fingers had written countless anonymous letters detailing precisely how people were to meet their end. And the one… who had tasked him to kill Kate.

Will Anderson stood in front of him now.

Burn marks covered half of his employer’s face, permanently marked by a fire that had taken place during his own time as a hitman. Around one of his piercing blue eyes was nothing but mangled skin, an eyebrow long since lost to the flames.

Lucien had dared ask him about it once, during his late teenage years. The only response he’d gotten was a proud, ‘you should see the other guy.’

The man now extended his scar-littered hand towards Lucien.

He took it without hesitation, their eyes catching. Will, he knew, would be searching for the truth in his gaze. Was known to dig out traitors as easily as a hunting dog could find its prey.

Luckily, he wasn’t one to shy away from a challenge.

Lucien raised an eyebrow toward the grey hairs starting to show in what had once been jet-black hair. “Too long, boss, too long.”

Will snorted in amusement but kept a hold of his hand. Long past a courteous greeting, he pulled Lucien closer, slapping an arm around his shoulders.

“Indeed it has been. Now I wish it wouldn’t be under these circumstances, but…” He piped up, escorting Lucien closer to a long table sat in the middle of the room. “I’m sure you will be able to clarify and we can all leave this in the past.” A firm squeeze followed around his shoulders. And Will’s expression showed a promise of what would happen if he was unable to make it crystal clear, today.

You. Clarify. Max has gotten to him alright. Lucien bobbed his head once in curt confirmation. “Of course, sir. This all has been nothing but a witch hunt, if I’m honest.”

Which he wasn’t.

“Good. Sit, eat a cookie.” Will waved to the table, encompassing the light brown, round cookies with happy blue sprinkles on them that lay haphazard on a China plate. “Enjoy.”

Lucien pulled out a chair, wincing at the screeching the legs brought forth over the wooden flooring. He slid down in it, ignoring the cookies to focus on his fellow colleagues who worked in the field of death.

Trey had followed him here, kept the tapping of his shoes to himself as he too sat back in a chair, stiffly leaning against the backrest. If the instinct that had been keeping him alive all these years was right, there was little risk of Trey betraying him. Unless his friend would be put directly on the spot.

Let’s hope I’m not wrong. It would make tonight… messy at best.

“Como estas, hombre?” Emilio sank down into the chair next to him with a beaming smile. Joyous as always, aside from the tinge of warning resting in the depths of his amber eyes. Two of them knew. Two of them that would need to lie, or rather omit the truth tonight. And then there was Daniel, sitting upright in his high-backed chair. Another colleague. He wasn’t exactly close with the grey-eyed man. But at least, he kept himself out of most things called trouble. One less nose to sniff around in Lucien’s affairs.

Max was yet to appear, and would do so with befitting drama no doub—

The twin doors slammed against the walls, Trey winced over the overwhelming ruckus. While Emilio leaned back, weaving his hands together above his head as they all turned to see Max enter. The hulk of a man strode to the table, biceps flexing as he shrugged off his burgundy Super Dry vest, showing the rippling muscles beneath.

“Must you always enter with such flair?” Trey remarked.

Max’s gaze slid from Lucien, narrowing slightly on him before moving to Trey, a grin already forming. “My man, I got to stay ahead of all the beauties surrounding this table.” A dirty wink followed. “Besides, I’ve just secured myself a date for tonight, and I am feeling so ready for it.”